Buckle having a pressure member connected to slotted pivotally related frame members



Och 1967 LA VERE .1. EVELAND 3,344,436

BUCKLE HAVING A PRESSURE MEMBER CONNECTED TO SLOTTED PIVOTALLY RELATEDFRAME MEMBERS Filed June 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L4 YERE J. .E'VELAUDv INVENTOE AT'roQuEY ,344,486 EMBER CONNECTED TO SLOTTED PIVOTALLYRELATED FRAME MEMBERS 1957 LA VERE J. EVELAND BUCKLE HAVING A PRESSURE M2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1965 i6 alza 4la e3 60' 4 Ilzzz JEVELAIUD INVEMTOQ Ar roRugy United States Patent BUCKLE HAVING APRESSURE MEMBER CON- NECTED T0 SLOTTED PIVOTALLY RELATED FRAME MEMBERSLa Vere J. Eveland, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor of one-half toIrving M. Golden, Burbank, Calif. Filed June 15, 1965, Ser. No. 464,0358 Claims. (Cl. 24-194) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE the pressure member.During closing of the buckle, the

pressure member is moved adjacent the belt and upon opening the buckle,the pressure member is moved away from the belt and cam member in thedirection of the tension on the belt.

This invention relates to a buckle and more particularly to a cargobuckle in which the strap is released by moving the pressure roller awayfrom the strap.

A common type of cargo buckle has an eccentric gripping portion mountedon a rotatable cam member and the strap is gripped between a stationarymember and the cam member. After tension is placed on the strap, thegripping portion moves in the direction of the tension to grip the straptighter by embedding the teeth of the gripping portion further into thestrap. In order to release the strap, the gripping portion must be movedin the opposite direction thereby increasing the strap tension andcausing the teeth to cut into the strap, thereby damaging the strap. Insome instances, the gripping portion becomes so tightly embedded in thestrap that a hammer has to be used to apply enough force to the cammember to release the strap.

The buckle of the present invention also utilizes a cam member with aneccentric gripping portion and the strap is held between the cam memberand a pressure roller. Also, after tension is placed on the belt, theteeth on the gripping portion moves in the direction of the tension andbecomes more embedded in the strap material. However, the strap isreleased by upward and forward movement of the pressure roller so thatthe teeth on the gripping portion follow the strap out of the buckle onrelease and do not cut into the strap material. Thus, the strap can beeasily released under any tension. The upward movement of the roller iaccomplished by a cam action on the ends of the pressure roller. The camaction is produced by inserting the ends through cam slots in relativelymovable frame members. The cam member is rotatively mounted in fixedlocation on one of the frame members and the pressure roller issuspended by both frame members. The strap can pass underneath across-piece on said other frame member so that the buckle can bereleased by pulling on the strap which in turn produces relativemovement between the frame members. Since the pressure roller ismovable, the same buckle can be used with straps which vary in thicknessover a considerable range.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bucklewhich releases a strap without cutting the strap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cargo ice buckle inwhich the strap is gripped between the gripping surface portion of a cammember and a pressure roller and is released by movement of the pressureroller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a buckle in which theteeth on the gripping surface portion move in the same direction as thetension on the strap when the strap is released thereby preventingdamage to the strap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a buckle for a cargo strapwhich can be released by lifting one end of the strap.

These and other objects of the invention not specifically set forthabove will become readily apparent from the accompanying description anddrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the buckle holding a straptightly around a cargo box;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevational view similar to FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view along line 33 of FIG- URE 2 with the strapremoved;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 showing thestrap held by the buckle;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the buckle with the parts inposition to fully release the strap;

FIGURE 6 is a partial side elevational view of the buckle showing theparts in an intermediate release position;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse vertical section along line 7-7 of FIGURE 2showing the pressure roller and cam member; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 of a modification of the bucklewhich receives a rope.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention chosen for purposes ofillustration, the buckle 10 comprises a base frame member 11 and asmaller release frame member 12. The frame member 12 has sides 13 and 14located at the outer surfaces of sides 15 and 16, respectively, of framemember 11. Sides 13 and 14 are held together by rods 20, 21 and 22 whichare rigidly secured at each end to the sides. The pin 22 passes throughopenings in the sides 15 and 16 of the base frame member in order topivotally connect the two frame members together.

The sides of the base frame member 11 are held together by rod-s 24, 25,26 and 27' which are rigidly secured at each .end to the sides. The rod25 pivotally supports a cam member 28 which has pins 29 and 30 extendingfrom opposite ends into curved slots 31 and 32 in sides 15 and 16,respectively (seeFIGURE 7). The slots and pins position the cam memberand limit the amount of its rotational movement. The rod 26 rotatablysupports a guide roller 33 located next to cam member 28 so that one end34 of the strap 35 can extend from the cam member around the roller 31and then reverse direction. Rod 27 provides an anchor for the arms 36 ofhook 37 on the other end 38 of the strap. The cam member 28 has agripping portion 39 which is eccentric about rod 25 and has teeth 40 forgripping the strap.

A pressure roller 41 is located between sides 15 and 16 and has reducedends 42 and 43 which extend through cam slots 44 and 45 in sides 15 and16, respectively, and through cam slots 46 and 47 in sides 13 and 14,respectively. Enlarged caps 43 and 49 are placed on the ends of 42 and43 to prevent these ends from moving into position to cock the roller 41(see FIGURE 7). The slots 46, 47 each comprise a straight portion 54having an angularly extending portion 55 at one end and a semicircularportion 56'at the other end. Slots 44, 45 are L- shaped and comprise legportions 58 and 59.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the free end 34 of the strap 35 is insertedinto the buckle 10 by placing it over the rod 24, around the roller 33,over the gripping portion 39 and between rods 20 and 21. Since the otherfree end 38 is attached to pin 27 by hook 37, the strap 35 can be pulledtightly around cargo 60 as illustrated in FIGURE 1, by pulling on thefree end 34. With the frame members in the normal position shown in FIG-URES 2 and 4 wherein the rod 21 of frame 12 is adjacent the upper edgeof frame 11, the tightened strap 35 engages the lower surface of cammember 28 and causes the member to rotate until the gripping portion 39engages the strap opposite the pressure roller 41. The eccentricgripping portion increases in radius about the rod 25 so that the member28 will rotate more to engage a thin strap than to engage a thick strap.When the free end 34 is released, the gripping portion 39 will rotateslightly in the direction of tension on the strap in order to morefirmly engage and hold the strap by embedding teeth 40 into the strap.Thereafter, the strap is firmly held under tension and the ends 42 and43 are located in slot portions 56 so that the pressure roller 41 islocked in position.

When it is desired to release the strap, the frame member 12 is movedabout pivot rod 22 and this can be accomplished by pulling outwardly onfree strap end 34 in order to place an outward, opening force on rod 20.The first joint action of the cam slots 44, 45 and 46, 47 is to move theends 42 and 43 of pressure roller 41 out of portion 56 and then alongthe leg portions 59 of slots 44, 45 by engagement of the ends with slotportion 54 of slots 46, 47 (see FIGURE 6). This action moves thepressure roller away from the gripping portion 39 in the direction ofthe tension on the strap. As the strap is released, the gripping portionwill rotate somewhat with the strap and then it loses its grip on thestrap because of the space developed by movement of the pressure roller.Further movement of the frame 12 causes the angular slot portions 55 toengage the ends 42 and 43 of the pressure roller and move the ends alongthe leg portion 58 of the slots 44, 45 to the ends of the leg portion 58(see FIGURE In this position of frame member 12, the pressure roller 41is held away from the cam member 28 to provide a large strap space. Thebuckle is adapted for use with a wide range of strap thicknesses sincevery thin straps can also be held by the variable gripping action of theeccentric gripping portion 40. The pins 29 and slots 31 stop therotation of cam member 28 toward the roller 41 just short of contact ofthe large radius teeth with the roller and stop the rotation of theroller in the other direction when the teeth 40 of minimum radius areopposite the roller. Within this range of movement, the strap portionbelow the cam member will produce a rotational force on the cam memberto move it towards the strap portion adjacent the pressure roller,regardless of the thickness of the strap.

Since the relative movement of the frame members moves the pressureroller away from the teeth 40 in the direction of pull on the strap, theteeth follow the strap as it commences to move out of the buckle onrelease and therefore, the teeth do not cut into the strap material.Also, release can be easily accomplished for any pressure load on thestrap since it is not necessary to move the cam member in a direction toincrease the tension before release of the strap can commence. Themovement of the pressure roller also permits the buckle to produce aneffective holding action on thick, as well as thin straps. If there isdanger of accidental release of the buckle by movement of strap end 40,the end can be placed over, rather than under, the rod so that the framemember 12 must be moved for release directly by the fingers.

The buckle can be modified, as illustrated in FIGURE 8, to accommodate arope 60' rather than the strap 35. The eccentric gripping portion 61 ofcam member 28a comprises a curved groove having teeth 62 for engagingthe rope and pressure roller 41a contains an opposite curved groove 63for locating the rope. Otherwise, the buckle has the same constructionand operation as the buckle of FIGURE 2. Also, the roller 33 could beeliminated so that the strap 34 would wrap directly around the cammember 28. This modification would be particularly suitable for a seatbelt buckle. The two frame members can be formed from blanks of sheetmaterial with the member 13 closed on the bottom and open at the top toreceive a formed frame member 12. Various other modifications arecontemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A buckle for holding a strap comprising:

a first frame member having a first pair of spaced sides;

a second frame member having a second pair of spaced sides, the sides ofsaid second pair being adjacent the sides of said first pair;

pivot means for pivotally connecting said first and second frame memberstogether;

cam means pivotally supported by said first pair of sides and having agripping portion for engaging said strap;

a first pair of cam slots in said first sides and a second pair of camslots in said second sides;

a pressure roller normally located opposite said cam member for holdingsaid strap against said gripping portion and having opposite ends, eachend passing through the cam slots in the sides of said first and secondmembers adjacent one another; and

said slots being shaped to move said pressure roller away from saidstrap upon relative movement between said frame members about said pivotmeans.

2. A buckle as defined in claim 1 wherein said first pair of slots areL-shaped with one leg extending in the direction of tension on saidstrap from an end located opposite said cam means and the other legextending from the other end of said first leg outwardly, said secondpair of cams moving said ends of said pressure roller upon relativemovement of said frame members from said normal position along said oneleg and then along said other leg to move said roller relative to saidstrap in the direction of tension and then outwardly.

3. A buckle as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said second cam slotshave cutaway portions at one end thereof for receiving and holding theends of said pressure roller in said normal strap gripping positionwhile said frame members are in their normal, strap gripping position,said cutaway portion being moved to release said ends upon initialrelative movement of said members.

4. A buckle as defined in claim 1 having a guide roller spaced from saidcam means along said strap in the direction of tension on the strap,said strap passing underneath said cam means, around said guide rollerand between said cam means and said pressure roller, the portion of thestrap underneath said cam means producing a force on said cam means forrotating said gripping portion into engagement with said strap.

5. A buckle as defined in claim 4 having a pin projecting from each endof said cam means and into an arcuate slot in a side of said first pair,said slot limiting the range of strap engaging positions of said cammeans.

6. A buckle as defined in claim 1 having rods for securing said pairs ofsides together, the free end of said strap emerging from said bucklebetween a pair of rods for said second frame member so that the bucklecan be opened by an outward pull on said strap end.

7. A buckle for holding a strap comprising:

frame means having first and second frame members pivotally connected toone another;

cam means pivotally mounted on one of said frame members and having agripping portion movable relative to said one frame member intoengagement with one side of said strap;

a movable pressure member located opposite said cam means; and

means associated with said frame members and producing a force on saidpressure member upon pivotal movement between said frame members forlocating said pressure member against the other side of said strap inone relative position of said frame members and for moving said pressuremember away from said other side of said strap upon relative movement ofsaid frame members from said one position;

said last mentioned means comprising slots in said frame members forslidably receiving the ends of said pressure member.

8. A buckle for holding a strap comprising:

frame means having first and second frame members pivotally connected toone another;

cam means pivotally mounted on one of said frame members and having agripping portion movable relative to said one frame member intoengagement with one side of said strap;

a movable pressure member located opposite said cam means;

means associated with said frame members and producing a force on saidpressure member upon pivotal movement between said frame members forlocating said pressure member against the other side of said strap inone relative position of said frame members and for moving said pressuremember away from said other side of said strap upon relative movement ofsaid frame members from said one position; and

guide roller means spaced from said cam means along said strap in thedirection of tension on the strap, said strap passing underneath saidcam means, around said guide roller and between said cam means and saidpressure member, the portion of the strap underneath said cam meansproducing a force on said cam means for rotating said gripping portioninto engagement with said strap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,551,579 6/1950 George 24-1712,653,365 9/1953 Elsner 24-170 2,948,939 8/1960 Prete 24-171 2,964,81512/1960 Sereno 24-194 X 2,977,655 4/1961 Peters 24-196 3,013,317 12/1961Weber 24-75 3,013,318 12/1961 Davis 24-196 3,091,830 6/1963 Harley24-170 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MILTON S. MEHR, Examiner.

1. A BUCKLE FOR HOLDING A STRAP COMPRISING: A FIRST FRAME MEMBER HAVINGA FIRST PAIR OF SPACED SIDES; A SECOND FRAME MEMBER HAVING A SECOND PAIROF SPACED SIDES, THE SIDES OF SAID SECOND PAIR BEING ADJACENT THE SIDESOF SAID FIRST PAIR; PIVOT MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID FIRST ANDSECOND FRAME MEMBERS TOGETHER; CAM MEANS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY SAIDFIRST PAIR OF SIDES AND HAVING A GRIPPING PORTION FOR ENGAGING SAIDSTRAP; A FIRST PAIR OF CAM SLOTS IN SAID FIRST SIDES AND A SECONE PAIROF CAM SLOTS IN SAID SECOND SIDES; A PRESSURE ROLLER NORMALLY LOCATEDOPPOSITE SAID CAM MEMBER FOR HOLDING SAID STRAP AGAINST SAID GRIPPINGPORTION AND HAVING OPPOSITE ENDS, EACH END PASSING THROUGH THE CAM SLOTSIN THE SIDES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER; ANDSAID SLOTS BEING SHAPED TO MOVE SAID PRESSURE ROLLER AWAY FROM SAIDSTRAP UPON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID FRAME MEMBERS ABOUT SAID PIVOTMEANS.